Applied English Test 1 Flashcards
What prompted the narrator and her sister to attend the Anglo-Indian day school?
Their mother’s health deteriorated, making it necessary for them to attend the school while their father was on tour.
How did the headmistress react to the Indian names of the narrator and her sister?
The headmistress found the names too difficult to pronounce and proposed English names, Pamela and Cynthia, instead.
What was the narrator’s initial reaction to being named Cynthia?
She felt a detached and disbelieving concern, as if the name Cynthia did not truly represent her.
Describe the school’s physical environment.
The school had Indian architectural design with wide verandas and a central courtyard, but features like dark brown verandas and matting were in British style.
How did the narrator feel about the school lessons?
She found the lessons, such as basic reading and writing, to be boring and too simple since she had already learned them at home.
What was the reaction of the other children to the narrator’s Indian food?
The other children had sandwiches, and the narrator and her sister were the only ones with Indian food, which made them feel different.
What happened when Premila came to the school during the narrator’s class?
Premila marched in and told the narrator that they were going home for good, indicating a crisis.
How did the narrator handle competitive games at school?
She did not grasp the competitive aspect and was confused when others did not reciprocate her approach of letting others win.
Why did Premila decide to leave the school?
Premila was upset by the teacher’s action of seating Indian children separately and accusing them of cheating.
How did the narrator’s mother respond to Premila’s complaint?
Mother decided that they should not return to the school, showing her displeasure with the discriminatory practice.
How did the narrator spend her evening after returning from school?
She played with the cook’s son, enjoyed the familiar environment, and had a typical evening filled with play and stories.
What was the narrator’s emotional state after leaving the school?
The narrator felt detached and content to return home, not personally affected by the situation at school.
What key lesson did the narrator learn about competitive games?
She eventually learned the true spirit of competition and stopped allowing herself to be caught, understanding the essence of winning.
How did the narrator’s perspective on her experience at school change over time?
She treated the experience of Cynthia as separate from herself and later understood the discriminatory actions, but kept a detached view.
What was the outcome of the narrator’s first day at the Anglo-Indian school?
The narrator and her sister were withdrawn from the school due to the discriminatory treatment, and they returned to their familiar home life.
What was the classroom atmosphere like for the narrator compared to her previous experiences?
The classroom had a mix of Indian design and British features, with a more intense heat and different cultural practices compared to what she was used to at home.
What was the initial response of the headmistress to the Indian names of the narrator and her sister?
The headmistress suggested giving them English names, Pamela and Cynthia, because she found their Indian names difficult to pronounce.
